WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

ACT

By ANY means: threats, use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power, financial manipulation,

facilitating or controlling access to an addictive substance.

MEANS

PURPOSE

EXPLOITATION

​

The Facts

The latest estimate according to the

International Labor Organization (ILO)

calculates that nearly

21 MILLION people worldwide

are victims of human trafficking.

Approximately 4.5 MILLION

of those victims are trafficked

for the purpose of

sexual exploitation.

Human trafficking has to include

an ‘act’ and a ‘means’ that leads to exploitation

but it is not always what we think it is. More often than not trafficking takes place through manipulation and deceit. Lauran Bethell, a missionary and global consultant on human trafficking defines human trafficking as ‘the exploitation of vulnerability.’

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act(TVPA)

'Additionally the TVPA considers any person under age 18 who performs a commercial sex act a victim of human trafficking, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion was present.'

The more vulnerable someone is, the higher the risk of exploitation. Many factors influence vulnerability but they can be understood

by two key areas: push and pull factors.

Push Factors

Individual factors that place someone at a higher risk of being exploited for example poverty, lack of education, ethnic minority or disability.

Pull Factors

Outside forces that are increasing someones risk of exploitation for example demand from consumers, profit made from exploitation and media acceptance of a culture of prostitution.

What is the Commercial Sex Industry?

​This industry refers to any venue or system that makes a profit from the sexual exploitation of a man, woman or child. Some sex enterprises operate legally, such as strip clubs, others are incorporated as legal health clubs, saunas, beauty salons and massage parlors but, in reality, are prostitution venues. Others are makeshift and secret prostitution enterprises, operating out of private residences, mobile trailers or warehouses.

The Sex Industry in California

> California harbors 3 of FBI’s highest child trafficking areas in the nation: Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

​

> For the past 4 years, California has had significantly more trafficking cases than other states. In 2014, 912 cases were reported.

​

> The National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline received the highest number of reports on cases or victims of human trafficking from California. 3495 calls. 17.9% of all calls.

​

> The State of California brings in 1/3 of the annual strip club revenue for the entire United States.

​

> The porn industry alone employs an excess of12,000 people in California.

> 90% of all legal porn worldwide is filmed, distributed, and / or manufactured in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.